Custom Infraorbital-Midface Implant

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am starting to prepare for the custom infraorbital rim-midface implant.This is because even tho the result is okay the off shelf orbital rim implant makes the two sides of my face a bit assymmetric and its not fixed with screws either, which I believe it should.

I would like to ask since I have now been through three surgeries in my under eye and midface area…first custom Medpor midface implants, then removal and now the off shelf orbital rim implants. I wonder, do you think I would have enough tissue left under the skin so the result of a custom infraorbital-midface implant still will be looking good?I believe I have read something you have written before that states every time a surgery is being done, some of the tissue dissolve, due to the swelling or something?

I just want to check in on your thoughts around this.

A: My general thoughts are your situation is that every surgery has risks and no surgery ever turns out perfect no matter how many revisions are done. Thus if you have an ‘okay’ result in the more precarious tissues of the lower eyelid and cheek this would give me pause as to considering further surgery. It is all about how much benefit is their to gain vs the risk in doing so.

That being said, each surgery creates scar but that does not necessary mean the tissues become thinner. So I don’t see this as a limiting factor for considering a custom infraorbital-midface implant.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana